Wedge for concrete form ties



D. c. HUNGERFORD 2,107,415 WEDGE FOR CONCRETE FORM TIES Feb. 8, 1938.

Filed Nov. 27, 1934 T /2 INVENTOR Jam 'e/ (I flanyerfoml BY MM.

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 8, 1938 2,107,415 WEDGE FOR CONCRETE FORM TIESDaniel C. Hungerford,

mesne assignments, Company, New York, Illinois Chalfont, Pa., assignor,by to Star Expansion Bolt N. Y., a corporation of Application November27, 1934, Serial No. 754,939

1 Claim.

This invention relates to ties for 'concrete forms. 1

It is common practice to use tie rods and wedges between rod abntmentsand concrete forms to hold the forms in position. Forms are often builtup from lumber at hand and such lumber may vary materially indimensions.

This invention has for its object to provide a wedge for use with tierods so constructed as to provide for substantially large variations inthe dimensions of the lumber used for the forms.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wedge of the characterdescribed having a portion of the wedge surface relatively steep toprovide a quick wedge action to take up lost motion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wedge and tie rod sodesigned that relative movement of these parts will be prevented whenthe wedge is rotated around the axis of the tie rod.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the followingspecification taken in connection with the drawing which forms a part ofthis application, and in which Fig. l is a sectional elevation showing atie rod and wedge constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the wedge shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. i is a transverse sectional elevation taken substantially on line1-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of one end of the tie rod and the head orabutment thereon;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the head shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. {7 is a side elevation of another form of wedge embodying featuresof the invention;

Fig. 8 is afront elevation of the wedge shown in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional elevation taken substantially on line9-9 of Fig. '7; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation taken substantially on line ill-iii ofFig. 1.

The invention briefly described consists of a wedge and a tie rod havingan abutment, the abutment having two substantially parallel sides andthe Wedge having substantially parallel walls or edge portions adaptedto receive therebetween the parallel sides of the abutment. When theconcrete has set and the tie rod is to be broken the wedge is firstloosened and then rotated about the axis of the tie rod. The rod will beprevented from rotation relative to the Wedge one form of wedge byreason of the coaction between the sides of the abutment and the wallsor ,edge portions of the wedge. Y I

The invention also includes the provision of a plurality of spacedinclined wedge. surfaces disposed in difierentplanes, any one of whichis adapted to coact with the abutment on the tie rod to increase thetension on the rod and tighten the grip of the wedge on the concreteform. The wedge is preferablyprovided with a relatively steep incline,at the entrance of, the wedge surface or surfaces in order to provide aquick wedge action to take up lost motion when the tie rod abutmentengages the wedge surface. 1 a 1 Further details of the invention willappear from the following description.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-4 inclusive,there is shown a concrete tie comprising a rod ill having a head orabutment i l at one end thereof, the head being shown as rectangular. Itshould be understood that this particular shape of head is notnecessary, but the head should be provided with oppositely disposedsubstantially parallel sides, such as the sides I? and IS.

The form may be made up in any desired manner and, as illustrated inFig. 1, comprises sheathing made up of boards which are engaged by studsiii and outside of the studs are positioned Walers or cross beams ll,18.

The boards or sheathing are held in position by any suitable abutment,such as the abutment members 20, which in turn are held in position bytransverse abutment members or clips H.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1-4 inclusive, thewedge has formed on one face thereof a bearing surface adapted tocontact with the cross beams or walers i1, 18. This surface is. formedby spaced substantially parallel wedge portions or members 22 and 23.The portions 22 and 23 are connected at the ends, as shown at 24 and 25.The end of the wedge at which the connecting portion 24 is located iscurved, as shown at 26, and has an opening 21 therethrough adapted toreceive the head or abutment H on the tie rod ID.

The wedge shown in Figs. 1-4 has a plurality of spaced inclined wedgesurfaces A, B and C which are disposed in different planes, and slottedlongitudinally to receive the tie rod. The wedge also has substantialyparallel walls 39 and 3! along the side edges of each wedge surface, thewalls being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the distancebetween the side edges l2 and I3 of the abutment or head If. The walls30 and 3| are extended above the outer wedge surface C, as shown at 32and 33.

Each of the wedge surfaces A, B and C has a steeply inclined portion 34at the entrance thereof to provide for a quick wedge action to take uplost motion when the wedge is first put into use. This slack or lostmotion in the tie rod can be easily taken up by the steep portion 34 andthe subsequent tightening of the rod is accomplished in easy stages bythe gradual incline.

The wedge structure above described, having three separate inclined o-rwedge surfaces, is adapted for use with various dimensions of lumberused in the concrete forms. When the wedge is used the abutment on thetie rod will be engaged with the particular wedge surface which mostnearly approaches the distance of the abutment or head from the outersurface of the walers or cross beams. The wedge will then be pulleddownwardly and the steeply inclined entering portion 34 will quicklytake up any lost motion and further movement of the wedge relative tothe head or abutment on the tie rod will cause the form members to betightly gripped and held in place. It will be noted that the upper orinner end of each incline or wedge surface is disposed a greaterdistance from the base of the wedge than the entering end of the nextouter surface or incline. Thus, after the head has. traveled up oneincline or surface to the end and suflicient take-up has not beenobtained, the lower end of the next outer surface or incline willreceive the head.

When the concrete has set the Wedge is first loosened and then rotatedabout the axis of the tie rod and since the edges of the abutment coactwith the side walls 30 and 3| to prevent relative rotational movementbetween the rod and the wedge, the rod will be twisted and will break atthe point engaged by the clip 2|.

It will be obvious that the feature last described, namely, thestructure whereby relative rotation between the wedge and rod isprevented can be used with a wedge, such as that shown in Figs. 7-9inclusive, in which a single wedge surface is provided. In Figs. 7-9 thewedge surface 40 is shown as provided at the edges thereof withsubstantially parallel ridges or webs 4| and 42. The sides l2 and I3 ofthe rod abutment are adapted to fit between the ribs 4| and 42.

Although certain specific embodiments of the invention have beenparticularly shown and described, it will be understood that theinvention is capable of modification and that changes in theconstruction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts maybe made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, asexpressed in the following claim.

What I claim is:

A wedge having a. base and a plurality of inclined surfaces disposed indifferent planes, spaced from each other and angularly disposed relativeto the base, the inclined surfaces being so spaced and so inclined thatthe distance between the inner end of each surface and the base isgreater than the distance between the base and the entering end of thenext outer inclined surface.

DANIEL C. HUNGERFORD.

